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Meet Two People You'd Hate To Face In Your School Science Fair - But Would Make Way-cool Lab Partners!

March 4, 1997|By ELIZABETH RAHE Staff Writer

South Florida's two finalists in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search didn't start their projects two weeks before the due date (all you last-minute scientists take note). In fact, they've been working on entries for the nationwide contest for about five years, while doing research for science fairs.

Take 18-year-old Billy Blodgett from Wellington. When he was in eighth grade, he learned about using bacteria to clean up oil spills and wondered if any harmful compounds were produced in the process. His research included talking with college professors and biological labs that sell the oil-eating bacteria. Eventually, he discovered a cancer-causing substance that he says should be prevented from reaching ground water. His findings were published in a scientific journal - big stuff for a high schooler.

Emily Levy, 17, of North Miami Beach had questions she wanted answered, too. While volunteering at her mother's school for kids with learning disabilities, she couldn't stop thinking about Robbie, a student struggling with reading comprehension. So she went to the library. There she read about visual or right-brain learners, who absorb information better from pictures than words. She figured out a way to use visual learning with Robbie, having him imagine the information and write it down on a spiderlike diagram, with a circle in the center for the main idea surrounded by lines for supporting ideas. Then she published her own workbook for students.

Both projects became passions for these teens. That passion, they say, is the No. 1 key to success with a science project.

As the two refined and expanded their research over the years, their passion, along with hard work, won them awards in science fairs.

Billy says it's important, too, to find the resources you need. He sought out several mentors. Clarence Baugh, owner of Custom Biologicals of Boca Raton, which sells biological agents for environmental cleanup, was one. Baugh gave him a crash course in college-level microbiology one summer. "Great sources are out there if you want to tap into them," Billy says.

Emily and Billy will join 36 other high school seniors Wednesday in Washington, D.C., for the final judging. Winners will be announced Monday.